This species has been collected from Lubuk Sulasi. Jim Comber wrote that he found it common in Northern Sumatra at the lower end of its recorded elevation range. Jim comber also wrote that this species grows mostly as an epiphyte in somewhat open situations; he even found it growing on rocks in direct sunlight (Comber 2001).

The Plants Description

The creeping rhizomes have pseudobulbs spaced 1.5cm apart. The pseudobulbs are shaped ovoid and broadly elliptic in cross section. The pseudobulbs measure 3.3cm long and 2.5cm in diameter. The leaves are petiolate; the petiole measures 2cm long. The leaf blades are shaped linear and have obtuse apices. The leaf blades measure 20cm long and 1.6cm wide.

The Inflorescence

The inflorescence is synanthous and grows before the leaf has fully formed. The peduncle is erect and measures 25cm long. The rachis measures 15cm long. The flowers are spaced 6mm apart.

The Flowers

The flowers are yellow or pale green and have two brown coloured keels on the labellum. The dorsal sepal is shaped lanceolate and has an acute apex. The dorsal sepal measures 8.5mm long and 2.25mm wide. The lateral sepals are oblique, lanceolate and have acute apices. The lateral sepals measure 8.75mm long and 2.75mm wide. The petals are shaped obliquely rhomboid. The petals measure 8.25mm long and 2mm wide. The labellum is 3-lobed and has two keels that run from the base of the hypochile to the apex. The keels are wider at the base of the labellum. The labellum measures 8mm long and 4.75mm wide. The side-lobes are minute and grow from 1/3 of the length of the labellum from its base. The column is curved and measures 4.6mm long. The apical hood is recurved and is shaped quadrangular; its margins are 5 dentate. The stelidia grow from the middle of the column and do not reach the column apex.

Herbarium Specimens

Scent

I could find no record

Flowering Season

I could find no record

Culture

I do not think this species is in cultivation

Similar Species

Dendrochilum longifolium

Other Information

The leaves and keels make this a distinctive species. The keels run the entire length of the labellum.

Reference –

COMBER, J.B. Orchids of Sumatra, 2001, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 26 November 2008. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.kew.org/wcsp/ accessed 26 November 2008.